Two dominant backs in Rio Arnett and Keshawn Barkus are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Mesa Jackrabbits will welcome the Westwood Warriors at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Mesa is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Arizona's top teams: Basha, who was ranked third at the time (Mesa was ranked 18th). The Jackrabbits fell 41-33 to the Bears on Friday. The Jackrabbits' defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Kingston Anetema, who picked up 116 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also put in work on the defensive side of the ball, making five total tackles (1.0 for loss) and defending two passes in addition to snagging an interception. Another signal caller making a difference was Boogie Anetema, who threw for 247 yards and two TDs.
Mesa didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Anetema and Kameron Williams. Mesa got some further help from Ezekiel Estep: he made 17 total tackles (1.0 for loss) and defended two passes.
Special teams played a big role in the game for Mesa, adding 15 points to the final score. All came from Evan Romero: he went 4-for-4 kicking field goals for 12 points, and 3-for-3 kicking extra points for an additional three.
Meanwhile, Westwood hadn't done well against Valley Vista recently (they were 0-4 in their previous four matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Warriors enjoyed a cozy 51-32 win over the Monsoon. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Warriors as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Westwood's defensive line made their presence known, laying out Damir Ilicic eight times. Latravion Fricks and Apaiata Tengei were the leaders of the group effort as each produced three apiece. Fricks also made nine total tackles, which is notable because Westwood is 2-1 when he posts at least three total tackles, but 2-4 otherwise.
Westwood's win bumped their record up to 4-5. As for Mesa, their loss was their first in the region, dropping their region record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 5-4.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Mesa has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 176.2 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Westwood struggles in that department as they've been averaging 258.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Mesa didn't have too much breathing room in their contest against Westwood when the teams last played back in November of 2024, but they still walked away with a 34-28 victory. Do the Jackrabbits have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Warriors turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
